It’s a veritable vegetarian feast – plus there’s nothing like a hot oven to warm the rest of the house. It’s almost school holiday time here which means hungry hoardes hovering in the kitchen and a constant stream of food being sent out and devoured. Honestly, it’s like a metronome in my house – the rhythm is constant.

Here is a lovely, quick and easy pie recipe. Full of spinach & tasty feta and so easy the little people can make it themselves – I’m totally serious – the non-kitchen dwellers in my house have even mastered the art of the filo pie. Mix, fold and scoop. Easy peasy.

This is what breakfast looks like for me at the moment – it could just easily pass for dessert though. It’s that good.

It’s coming to the tail end of fig season and these delicious babies are still quite readily available – but you might want to pounce because, like a one night stand, they won’t be hanging around for long.

Figs are a great source of potassium which is a major mineral in all of our cells. Potassium is a bit of an all rounder – along with sodium, it helps to control the working of our nerves and muscles, it helps to normalise our blood pressure and with the aid of magnesium it helps to preserve the calcium in ours bones. Figs are also low in kilojoules/calories and high in dietary fibre – if weight loss is a goal for you then they will help keep you feeling fuller for longer without the excess energy of other foods.

Fresh figs are one of the most perishable fruits, they should be purchased only a day or two in advance of when you are planning on eating them. Look for figs that have a rich, deep color and are plump and tender, but not mushy. Have a bit of a sniff if you’re unsure – they should smell a little bit sweet and a little bit fragrant – if they have a sour kind of aroma they’ve probably gone a bit past their use-by date.

In my ever continuing task of increasing the vegetable intake of the population I’ve decided to have a crack at making ‘cous cous’ from cauliflower. I must say it has been a resounding success with even the smallest (and pickiest) of my bunch. Could it be the bright colour? Could it be the sweet cranberry or toasty nuts? Or could it just be that I called it cous cous instead of cauliflower? I don’t know and I didn’t ask for fear of it never being repeated. Let me know how it goes with your bunch?

Don’t let the long list of ingredients fool you, this dish will be in front of you in a matter of moments (30 of them to be precise, even fewer if you are a streamlined cooking machine).

As winter draws nearer a good braise can warm the soul of even the coldest human but they can take hours. Here is a quick one that can be on the table within half an hour. As usual I like to increase the vegetable intake so here is a versatile vegetable braise that works equally well with chicken, lamb or the lovely crispy skinned snapper that I served it with.

Tomatoes are particularly high in lycopene which is a pigment responsible for their gorgeous deep red colour. Lycopene has many other fabulous qualities (apart from just the visual). It’s a powerful antioxidant and increasing clinical evidence point toward it having a protective effect against a broad range of epithelial cancers. Some examples of cancers that effect the epithelial cells are breast, prostate, lung, pancreas, and colon.

The amount of lycopene absorbed by the body isn’t just reliant on the amount you eat, it’s bioavailability (how easy it is to get into your body) is also a huge determinant in its effectiveness. This is one of those weird situations where fresh is not always best. The processing of the tomato changes it’s chemical properties significantly increasing it’s bioavailability – meaning you get more for less. So just incase you were wondering why I included a jar of passata in my recipe when I clearly am always banging on about fresh and natural foods there is method in my madness. Sometimes.

For those of you playing along at home my Baked Salmon with Garlic & Lemon Thymewill have been your go to recipe for a healthy Easter fish feast to feed the starving masses. If perhaps the masses weren’t quite as starving as they might have been here is a quick and easy recipe to make use of the leftovers. 15 minutes from beginning to fork, light, fresh and tasty this salmon dish makes use of ingredients you most likely already have in your fridge and pantry making leaving the house on a public holiday completely unnecessary. I use fusilli pasta as the spirals hold onto the pieces of salmon well giving each bite all of the sharp and salty flavour of the dish. Feel free to substitute with whatever you have in stock.

If your guests have cleaned up in more ways than one and there are no leftovers, then just add 300g (roughly 2 fillets) of skinless salmon to a small saucepan of simmering water (place some lemon and thyme in there for a bit of flavour) and poach for around 8-10 minutes. Remove from the water and allow to cool then use a fork to break into rough pieces.

As the original recipe is also baked with garlic you may wish to add 1 or 2 cloves of crushed garlic to the leek towards the end of its cooking process (when nearly soft and translucent) then sauté for a further minute.

These steps will only add 10 minutes to the total cooking time bringing it to 25, still fairly speedy.

I’m not sure where the tradition came from…something to do with fasting or Jesus or that other guy…..but eating fish has become synonymous with Easter (and also Fridays?). Whatever the reason I’m all for it. Fish is one of the tastiest and healthiest pieces of protein you can pop onto your plate and most people worldwide do not consume anywhere near the recommended amounts. Children in particular really benefit from a piece of oily fish as it is full of omega 3 fatty acids that are essential for their developing brains.

Easter is a time for families to get together and feast (usually on chocolate). This weeks recipe is the easiest fish recipe you will ever make. It uses a full side of salmon, I like to use Ora King from the pristine waters of New Zealand’s South Island, and just 3 other ingredients….it’s really that easy.

Salmon is a gorgeous oily fish. Using the whole side with the skin on and wrapping it up into a parcel (using baking paper and aluminium foil) seals in all the oils and juices and circulates the flavour giving you a beautiful moist side of salmon as the centrepiece of your easter feast.

It is right about this time into the school year that my enthusiasm for the New Year’s resolution of “no more boring sandwiches” for the kids school lunches starts to fade. I start off with a bang and I’m making burrito bowls, homemade hummus and vietnamese rice paper rolls *polishes halo. Come week 7 and I’m feeling a jam sandwich might just filter its way onto the menu.

This weeks recipe has become a bit of a lunchbox lifesaver. It takes a matter of minutes. It can be made the night before…..but lets be real, most of the epically healthy lunches get made the night before because they can be so damned time consuming. The joy of the quesadilla is that it can also be made in a couple of minutes while you’re sucking down breakfast on the go, signing permission notes and yelling at small people to “for the love of all that is holy put on your goddam shoes!”…..surely that’s not just in my house?…..

I make spinach, ricotta & feta ones because…A. I usually have those things in my fridge…and B. Because, for some strange reason my fussy small person who would rather gnaw off her own arm than put broccoli/capsicum/ – insert most vegetables here – anywhere near her own lips, actually likes spinach. As you frequent readers would know, I’m all about getting as many vegetables into the day as humanly possible so if she will eat it, it’s on the menu.

You however, can easily flavour the quesadilla to suit the palate of your fussy small person. Here are some suggestions……

chicken, cheese & capsicum

chilli con carne, cheese & sour cream

roasted veg (pumpkin, capsicum, zucchini) & cheese

plain and simple ham & cheese

smoked salmon, cream cheese, capers & dill

…….the fussy small person is making me add Nutella to the list….#moderation!

…..There is however an interesting nutritional reason to be bringing up the topic of spicy food. When you eat your body revs up it’s engines and gets things moving to digest the food you’ve just consumed. The muscles of your gastro-intestinal tract speed up their contractions, your cells secrete digestive juices and enzymes and some of your nutrients are absorbed by active transport to be used by your body. These processes all require energy. This is known as the thermic effect of food (TEF). Some foods use more energy to process and this increases their thermic effect. Chilli, or more precisely capsaicin which is the active ingredient in chilli, is one such food.

Studies have shown that foods containing chilli can have an effect on diet induced thermogenesis and therefore can increase your metabolic rate (which is basically how much energy your body uses to function). The theory is if your body is using more energy to digest its food then this will have supportive effect on weight management. Chilli also has the added bonus of increasing the feeling of satiety which means that you will feel fuller for longer.

There have been some recent smaller studies examining the effect of combined consumption of capsaicin and medium chain triglycerides (coconut oil, palm kernel oil & smaller amounts in butter and other dairy foods) on the thermic effect of food that show promising results in regards to metabolic rate but more research is needed to confirm these.

So what is the bottom line for actual human beings who eat actual food and aren’t too hung up on the sciencey bits and pieces? While the studies show that there is an increase in the thermic effect of chilli and therefore metabolism the numbers aren’t astronomical. If chilli isn’t your thing then you aren’t going to be missing out on the one nutrient to rule them all. If chilli is your thing though, the benefits are certainly enough to pop a few more spicy dishes on the menu. The thing with healthy eating and maintaining your weight isn’t so much about the next great super nutrient but more about your ability to consistently maintain your intake and make healthy choices. If your tastebuds give a round of applause each time they come into contact with a certain food then you are much more likely to put that food on high dietary rotation. Think bigger picture (whole diet) not single food.

This weeks recipe looks a little complicated and ingredient heavy but once everything is chopped and ready to go the actual time it takes to put together is quite speedy. If you pre-make your nuts in bulk then the actual cooking time is really the time it takes for the chook to go all toasty brown and crispy.

The amount of chilli you put in is up to you and your taste buds….and of course your dining companions. When making this for the whole family I will halve the marinade and only use it for the grown ups chicken…just seasoning the kids in the flour mixture. I also will leave some of the peanuts plain and scatter those on their plates instead.

The coleslaw gives a nice cooling counter to the fiery chicken and nuts making this a perfectly balanced feast.

In my endeavour to increase vegetable consumption (worldwide and in my own house) I am starting to see that vegetables have a real marketing/PR problem. No one is really singing their praises. No one comes over all misty eyed with excitement and when asked what is making them gush replies “I just remembered….it’s broccoli night tonight”. No one instagrams their side dish. In fact if vegetables were indeed on social media I’m thinking their following would be most underwhelming.

Well no more! I have decided it’s time for the vegetable to shine and goddammit they will even be a little bit sexy.

I was asked for some dietary advice recently and when discussing overall food intake I realised that this person knew what to do to maintain a healthy diet (we all do to a certain extent) it was just the ratio of the different food groups that were out of whack. We might be eating all the right things but not necessarily in the right portion sizes. If we don’t make our side dishes full of flavour and exciting it does become difficult to feel the joy of dinner anticipation while staring down the barrel of a plate half full with steamed broccoli. (That’s right…. half your plate should be some variety or combination of vegetables).

Much like Jamie Oliver I have decided it is time for a food revolution! It’s time we made vegetables the hero of your plate not just that bit on the side. It’s time to get creative about what goes with your protein. It’s time for the thrill of anticipation at the thought of this evenings vegetable culinary masterpiece!…..or at the very least let’s try not to make the side dish an after thought.

This is a gorgeous little french inspired recipe that makes a hero out of the humble pea. If you have access to those fresh baby ones then good for you, they will be gorgeous. If not then the frozen variety will be gorgeous too. I’ve used snow peas, zucchini and asparagus here, mainly because they are all in season. The original recipe uses lettuce as well. Feel free to add or subtract whatever works for your household and palate. The only non-negotiable here is the leek because…well, leek. (It’s just really really good).

This lovely little green masterpiece works beautifully with a nice rack of lamb or a nice crispy skinned piece of oily fish….but it will pretty much go with anything, she’s quite a versatile girl.

Upping your vegetable intake will have so many flow on effects for your health. Your gut will most definitely thank you for it (as will, more than likely, your waistline).

It’s the tail end of summer in Australia and I have had the great fortune/misfortune (depending on how full you see the glass) of hosting many an event at home this season. This has taught me 2 things…

The host almost never has a hangover the next day…not having much time for excessive imbibing leads to a clearer head in the morning. This has been a welcome benefit for my dog in particular who has enjoyed the increase in early morning walks.

You can NEVER be too prepared.

I have become a well oiled hosting machine. I am match fit and can cater a feast at the drop of a hat. Part of the reason for my smugness has been because I keep stock of several different recipes in takeaway containers in my fridge. Romesco sauce is one such recipe.

Romesco originated in Spain (some say Catalonia some say Tarragona…I say delicious!) It was supposedly made by the fisherman of the area to eat with their catch which is probably why it’s such a great accompaniment to seafood.

Nutritionally it has some lovely heart healthy fats from the cashew nuts and both the capsicum and paprika give you lots of vitamins (A, E & C in particular) and some antioxidants thrown in for good measure.